# Hypocrisy (band)

Hypocrisy is a Swedish death metal band formed in October 1991 in Ludvika by Peter Tägtgren. The band has released thirteen studio albums since their inception, with Tägtgren remaining the band's only continuous member.

## History

After spending three years in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1990, founder Peter Tägtgren returned to his homeland of Sweden, to form his own band. Hypocrisy's early releases were noted as being well-executed death metal, but panned for not being particularly innovative. That criticism waned as the band matured, cultivating a more distinctive sound as well as employing an introspective lyrical approach. Later releases have a more atmospheric sound, with lyrical exploration of aliens and abduction experiences.
Tägtgren's experience as a producer may also have led to the band's change in musical direction, as he is more closely involved with many other bands while producing their albums.
After twice cancelling a U.S. tour in 2009, Hypocrisy confirmed a North American tour for 2010. Joining them on the "Long Time, No Death" tour were Scar Symmetry, Hate, Blackguard and Swashbuckle. From January to March 2010, they toured Germany, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, finishing in Moscow. Their North American tour took place in May 2010.
On 14 October 2011, Hypocrisy released a DVD called Hell Over Sofia - 20 Years of Chaos and Confusion. It contains a full concert from the "Long Time, No Death" tour. The DVD also contains a one and a half-hour documentary about the band. On 10 November 2011, Mikael Hedlund announced writing material for a new studio album during an interview with Metal Shock Finland's chief editor, Mohsen Fayyazi. Mikael tells Metal Shock Finland:
   It's too early to say what it's going to sounds like, but all I can say is that it's not gonna be any change of style. It will be a classic HYPOCRISY album without [any] compromises. We already got some material and we're really looking forward to enter the studio again. We don't know yet when it will [be], but hopefully after the summer 2012. Nothing is confirmed yet. We're doing the Metalfest tour [of Europe] in May/June plus some other festivals. That's the plans at the moment.
In early 2012 the band began to write new material for a follow-up to A Taste of Extreme Divinity. On 21 December 2012 Hypocrisy announced that the title of the upcoming album is End of Disclosure. It was released on 22 March 2013.
Hypocrisy's thirteenth studio album, and first in eight years, Worship was released on 26 November 2021. The album was preceded by a music video for the first single "Chemical Whore". It was later elected by Loudwire as the 32nd best metal song of 2021.
On 5 April 2022, via the band's official Facebook page, the band announced the departure of Horgh from the band. He was replaced a week later by Henrik Axelsson of The Crown.

## Musical style and lyrical themes

Musically, the band started off with a traditional death metal sound on their early albums, but soon turned into a melodic death metal band. Their early lyrics – written by original vocalist Masse Broberg – dealt with anti-Christian themes and Satanism. The band later focused on themes such as the paranormal and extraterrestrials. Their tenth album, Virus, contains themes more typical of death metal such as violence, the horrors of reality, insanity, torture, war, drug addiction, and emotional strife. Their twelfth album, End of Disclosure, uses conspiracy and anti-Illuminati themes.

## Members

* Hypocrisy live at Rockharz Open Air 2019
* Peter Tägtgren
* Mikael Hedlund
* Tomas Elofsson
Timeline

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Sales |
| Title | Album details | GER | SWE | AUT | FRA | SWI | FIN | US Heat | Sales |
| Penetralia | Released: 5 October 1992 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Osculum Obscenum | Released: 12 October 1993 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| The Fourth Dimension | Released: 25 October 1994 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Abducted | Released: 13 February 1996 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| The Final Chapter | Released: 11 November 1997 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Hypocrisy | Released: 22 June 1999 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL | 85 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Into the Abyss | Released: 22 August 2000 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Catch 22 | Released: 19 March 2002 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| The Arrival | Released: 16 February 2004 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CD+DVD, LP, DL | — | — | 71 | — | — | — | — | |
| Virus | Released: 5 September 2005 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, CD+DVD, LP, DL | 76 | 58 | 75 | — | — | — | — | |
| A Taste of Extreme Divinity | Released: 23 October 2009 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, LP, DL | 62 | — | 66 | 184 | — | — | 23 | US: 1,400+ |
| End of Disclosure | Released: 22 March 2013 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, LP, DL | 35 | 29 | 56 | 151 | 53 | 30 | 12 | US: 3,000+ |
| Worship | Released: 26 November 2021 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, LP, DL | 16 | — | — | — | 16 | 12 | — | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. ||||||||||

### EPs

| Title | EP details |
| Pleasure of Molestation | Released: 13 March 1993 Label: Relapse Records Formats: CD |
| Inferior Devoties | Released: 1994 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD, DL |
| Maximum Abduction | Released: 25 February 1996 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD |
| Too Drunk to Fuck | Released: 2 August 2013 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: LP |

### Compilation albums

| Title | Album details |
| 10 Years of Chaos and Confusion | Released: 21 August 2001 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD |

### Live albums

| Title | Album details |
| Hypocrisy Destroys Wacken | Released: 2 March 1999 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: CD |
| Hell Over Sofia - 20 Years of Chaos and Confusion | Released: 14 October 2011 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: 2CD+DVD |

### Video albums

| Title | Video details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Video details | SWE |
| Hypocrisy Destroys Wacken | Released: 14 September 1999 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: VHS | — |
| Live & Clips | Released: 17 April 2001 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: DVD | — |
| Hell over Sofia - 20 Years of Chaos and Confusion | Released: 14 October 2011 Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: DVD | 15 |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |||

### Music videos

| Year | Title | Directed | Album |
| 1992 | "Left to Rot" | — | Penetralia |
| 1992 | "Impotent God" | — | Penetralia |
| 1993 | "Pleasure of Molestation" | — | Osculum Obscenum |
| 1993 | "Inferior Devoties" | — | Osculum Obscenum |
| 1996 | "Roswell 47" | — | Abducted |
| 1997 | "The Final Chapter" | — | The Final Chapter |
| 2004 | "Eraser" | — | The Arrival |
| 2005 | "Scrutinized" | Mike Adelica | Virus |
| 2010 | "Weed Out the Weak" | Denis Goria | A Taste of Extreme Divinity |
| 2013 | "End of Disclosure" | — | End of Disclosure |
| 2013 | "Tales of Thy Spineless" | — | End of Disclosure |
| 2021 | "Children of the Gray" | — | Worship |